Vlsi Technology, Inc.

Steve J Schaper

Craig A Bellows

Oscar L Caton

Curtis M Hebert, Jr

A semiconductor deposition system with thermal trap characterized by a processing chamber, a source of process gas coupled to an inlet of the processing chamber, a thermal trap coupled to an outlet of the processing chamber, and a pump mechanism operative to pump a gas from the process chamber and into the thermal trap. The thermal trap preferably includes an enclosure defining a trap chamber, where an inlet to the trap chamber is coupled to the outlet of the processing chamber, a condensable-solid collection surface located within the trap chamber, a mechanism for maintaining the temperature of the collection surface at or below the temperature at which a gas flowing into the chamber condenses into a solid form, and a mechanism for maintaining the temperature of an inner surface of the enclosure at a temperature above which the gas condenses into a solid form. A method for trapping a gaseous material is characterized by the steps of flowing a gaseous material into a chamber of an enclosure, and maintaining the temperature of a collection surface disposed within the chamber at or below the temperature at which the gaseous material condenses into a solid form. The method preferably also includes the step of maintaining the temperature of an inner surface of the enclosure above the temperature at which the gaseous material condenses into a solid.

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Steve J Schaper